Pregnant woman with Chattanooga ties missing in California

July 5th, 2014by David Cobb in Local Regional News

This undated photo released by the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department shows 19-year-old Erin Corwin. Authorities on Wednesday, July 2, 2014, were searching for the missing pregnant woman who disappeared after leaving her home on the Twentynine Palms Marine Corps base. Corwin left her home at about 7 a.m. on Saturday, June 28, 2014.

Photo by
Associated Press/Times Free Press.

This undated photo released by the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department shows 19-year-old Erin Corwin, left, with her husband, Jonathan Wayne Corwin, a corporal in the U.S. Marine Corps. Authorities on Wednesday, July 2, 2014, were searching for the missing woman who disappeared after leaving her home on the Twentynine Palms Marine Corps base and was headed to Joshua Tree National Park.

Photo by
Associated Press/Times Free Press.

From specialized investigators in helicopters to the nationwide spread of traditional and social media coverage, the search is on for clues about what happened to a 19-year-old woman with area ties who disapeared a week ago in Southern California.

Authorities in San Bernardino County, Calif., are looking for Erin Corwin, a three-months pregnant native of Oak Ridge, Tenn., who has been living on a military base in Twentynine Palms, Calif., where her husband, Marine Cpl. Jonathan Corwin, is stationed.

The morning of June 28 she left home in her 2013 blue Toyota Corolla headed to Joshua Tree National Park. Erin's husband reported her missing the next day. Her car was found in Twentynine Palms on Monday but there was no indication of her direction of travel, according to the local sheriff's office.

Corwin, who has grandparents in Chattanooga, never lived farther than a mile from her parents before moving west in the fall, her sister-in-law DeeAnna Heavilin said Friday.

"She's just a really sweet girl, very close with her mom and family in general," Heavilin said. "She really likes photography. Her husband had gotten her a really nice camera."

Horses are another of Erin Corwin's passions. After working with horses in Tennessee, she connected with a horse rescue organization and spent time working there after arriving in California, Heavilin said. Her 20th birthday is July 15.

"This is something you have nightmares about whenever your kids move across the country because you can't get there, and you don't know their friends and they're somewhere where you can't touch them," Heavilin said. "It's what every parent's nightmare is made of and it's really heartbreaking that it's happening to our little family."

ABC's "Good Morning America" aired a segment about Corwin's disappearance Friday. A Facebook page titled "Locate Erin" has been followed by nearly 9,000 people. Heavilin said the family is appreciative of prayers for Erin's safe return.

She is 5-foot-2, 120 pounds with light brown hair and blue eyes.

Anyone with information about where she might be is encouraged to contact the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department at 760-366-4175.

Contact staff writer David Cobb at dcobb@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6731.